Wilderness
by EstherGreenwood92
Summary: Hermione gets separated from Ron and Harry when they're running for their lives at the Ministry of Magic. She's wrought with worry and doesn't know how she'll ever get back to them. Set during Deathly Hallows. Complete.


**Wilderness**

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Another one-shot that popped into my head. Enjoy!

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I was falling through space. Every part of my body felt like it was going to break; I was being squeezed so tightly that I couldn't think straight, let alone breathe. The other two had somehow lost their hold on me and I knew I was alone, even before I hit the earth. I lost my balance and crashed onto the floor. My hands met wet leaves and grass upon impact. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but my green surroundings. I was alone. And I was too stunned to do anything.

Harry.

Ron.

Where were they? I knew where I was—but where had they gone? What had happened? My thoughts flew back to the Ministry, where I had just been seconds ago. We had been running, trying to get through the fireplace before anyone could catch us. Adrenaline had skyrocketed through my veins as I had gone through, barely making it through the violent green fames before I felt someone latch onto my arm. It had been that Death Eater Yaxley, the one from the court proceedings. He had grabbed me, tight enough to leave a bruise. I had grabbed Ron and Harry a second before Yaxley had caught ahold me and the four of us disapparated together, heading for Grimmauld Place. I had cast a Revulsion Jinx in a desperate effort to get rid of him—

My stomach turned over and realization hit like a tidal wave. That must have been what had happened. My jinx must have separated myself from Yaxley, but also from Ron and Harry. I groaned and smacked the floor in anger.

A twig snapped in the distance and I was immediately brought back to my surroundings. Maybe that had just been a harmless animal—but I wasn't prepared to take a risk. I stood up and began casting protective enchantments in an arc around me.

_Protego Totalum_

_Repello Muggletum_

_Salvio Hexia_

_Muffliato_

I cast all the spells I could think of and then sat back on the damp earth. What to do? Where to go? How could I contact the rest of them? I was sure I couldn't go back to Grimmauld place, now that there was the possibility that Yaxley could get in there. I was sure that I had brought him into the secret—so there was no going back. I hoped Ron and Harry would think of that, wherever they were. I hoped they were OK. For all I knew they were with Yaxley at this moment.

A brittle gust of wind whipped through the trees and I shivered. I remembered that I still had my beaded bag and I grabbed it gratefully, rummaging through it until I found what I was looking for. I found the tent, set it up and went inside.

An hour later I was curled up on my bunk with a hot cup of tea. I had cried, out of anger and out of desperation. I was so disgusted with myself—it was all my fault! If I hadn't miscast that jinx this couldn't have happened.

I was sick with worry wondering what had happened to the other two. I had no idea how to contact them without it being tracked. What if they were with Yaxley? I couldn't risk sending a patronus to them, telling them where I was incase it got intercepted. But, I had no idea how else they were to find me. I set down my tea and looked around the tent, wishing I was anywhere but here.

I watched the dawn rise, a mirad of colors against the tent walls. I hadn't been able to sleep; I was too terrified at the prospect of letting my guard down and slipping into unconsciousness. I had just stared at the tent flap, listening to every soft sound throughout the night. My heart thudded with terror whenever I heard a cry from a bird or a shifting of leaves.

I had no idea what I was supposed to do now. I had everything; all the clothes, the tent among other things were hidden away in my magically enhanced beaded bag. The newest edition, the locket, sat somewhere in the mix with everything else. I had made sure that it was still there last night, but had shoved it back in, not wishing to look at it.

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After some time, I got up and walked over to the tent flap and out into the forest. It was early morning, maybe seven. The air around me was fresh and cold in my lungs. I pulled my sweater down over my hands and sat at the mouth of the tent, invisible to anyone who passed. I became more desperate in every passing second. I was hungry, tired and sick with anxiety. We had never discussed what we would do if one of us got separated from the other two. This oversight seemed monumental in hindsight. How had we not thought about it?

I bent my head and rubbed my eyes, trying to think clearly, to calm down. It didn't work; I was shaking too violently from nerves and I burst into more tears. Through my sobs I choked out their names, wishing that alone could summon them to me. I continued to cry, tears stinging my eyes from the cold morning air. My throat was raw and I felt terrible.

And then, a loud _crack _ripped though the silence and I looked up, terror in my heart, wetness still pouring down my cheeks. The subsequent sounds were nothing like the sounds of animals or the whipping of wind around the tent. I knew, knew it from the ends of my toes that they were the sounds of humans. Had the Death Eaters finally found me? For they were defiantly magical, nothing else but the sound of apparting or dissaperating made that sound. My tears stopped and my heart started pounding against my ribcage. Whoever it was, wouldn't be able to see or hear me in any way, my enchantments would see to that. But I couldn't just do nothing—I needed to know who or what was out there. I got up shakily from the forest floor and ventured out; the bubble cast my invisibility charms extended quite a ways. I walked out, maybe three yards around the densely growing trees.

And then I heard a voice. A familiar voice. And then I heard another.

"Hermione?"

"HERMIONE!"

They were calling my name. I ran, fast and almost tripped. The ground sloped downwards and the leaves were slick with dew. But then I saw them and I couldn't believe my eyes.

They were right there; Ron and Harry, standing a few yards apart. Harry, who was closest, saw me and a relieved smile lit up his face. I ran, head long into him and hugged him around the neck. I started sobbing again, but this time in total relief. A moment later I felt Ron collide with me and he threw his arms around us both in a warm, three person hug.

"I'm s-s-so sorry, R-Ron…Harry…" I choked out. The sobs stopped almost as soon as they had come, and I disentangled myself from the pair of them, hiccupping slightly.

I still couldn't believe it—but it was really them. They looked unharmed. It was so unbelievable.

"How, how did you find me?" I asked bewildered.

"It was Ron's Deulimator —" said Harry. Ron rummaged in his pocket and withdrew what looked like a shiny silver cigarette case.

I stared at it in shock.

"What…"

But then Harry cut me off.

"We had just been discussion what we were going to do when we heard you, not ten minutes ago. You sounded awful, but we heard you say our names. Ron and I were just as confused as you were but your voice was coming out of it."

I looked at the Deluminator and still couldn't believe it and Harry continued.

"Ron had been holding it, and he just clicked it. And as usual, a ball of light appeared right in our clearing. But it hadn't been the usual bright, white light. It was bluish, kind of like a Portkey light."

"Ron and I had just stood there for a moment, totally bewildered. But then sort of floated along and," Harry glanced at Ron who hadn't spoken yet, "it went inside Ron."

"What do you mean it went inside him?" I turned to Ron, looking at him trying to see any proof.

Ron nodded, still in slight daze. Then he said,

"Yeah, it just, well floated along a bit and… went inside my chest. I could feel it hot against my heart. And I knew somehow that this was it, maybe because the color of the light had reminded me of a Portkey, but I somehow instinctively knew."

Harry nodded.

"Yeah, I ran over when it disappeared into Ron, but he just told me that he wanted to try something and to grip his arm." Harry finished.

"And now you're here," I said wonderingly, still looking at Ron and the Deluminator.

I threw my arms around Ron and hugged him close, so glad that he was back.

"It's OK," he whispered into my hair, "everything's going to be fine now."

And in that moment, he was right. My two best friends were back and they were safe. And that's all I needed.

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What did you think? Review please!

Also, I should be getting out a new chapter for Hermione and Madame Sultry's Alluring Aroma by the weekend.


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